Source: Page 12, April 1, 2009 *
Two approaches to Internet. One on the work of journalists, access to sources of information and safeguards to be taken in this regard. Another of the dangers that the Web holds for children and measures to prevent them. Both speak of openings and possibilities. Also new questions, challenges and risks.
In most countries of Latin America and the Caribbean there is no legislation or regulations or public policies to address successfully the problems derived from commercial sexual exploitation of children and adolescents-CSEC by its acronym-stimulated by the explosion of so-called Web 2.0 and its "social networking" . This absence makes our small populations vulnerable to these crimes and many of our countries, potential havens for the implementation of CSEC, with the persecution that they have in some regions like the U.S. and Europe.
The adoption in 2008 of laws against these crimes Brazil and Argentina ( http://www.infoleg.gov.ar/infolegInternet/anexos/140000-144999 / 141790/norma.htm ) should encourage other nations to take similar measures to bridle this violation of privacy rights and privacy and to promote a safe Internet. These laws are on par with global trends which criminalizes not only ownership but also the production of pornography.
In Venezuela, although there are no specific laws regarding this crime, there are legal instruments in a timely manner to protect children and adolescents such as the Constitution of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela ( http://www.analitica.com/bitblio/anc/constitucion1999.asp ), the Organic Law for the protection of the child and adolescent-Lopna-( http://www.tsj.gov.ve/informacion/miscelaneas/lopna_prologo.html ), the Special Law against crime ( http://www.gobiernoenlinea.ve/docMgr/sharedfiles/LeyEspecialcontraDelitosInformaticos.pdf .) and the Law for the protection of children and adolescents in rooms Internet, video games other multimedia (ht tp: / / web.laoriental.com/Leyes/L113n/L113nT0Cap3.htm ).
According to Susan Finquelevich, a report by the News Agency Network for Children's Rights (ANDI) in Latin America "estimated that each year one million children are inducted into the sex trade, including child pornography, exploitation commercial sexual activities. " also adds that most researchers agree qualify as " contributing factors" of this crime to the following: exclusion and poverty, unequal distribution of wealth, family disintegration, lack of education , cultural patterns that foster domination of one gender over another, discrimination, consumerism, drug trafficking, harmful traditional practices, child trafficking, migration from rural to urban areas and irresponsible sexual behavior of adults.
An initiative in favor of this cause is Latin American Network for the rights of children and adolescents to the safe use of ICT in which they participate: Costa Rica (http : / / paniamor.or.cr / ), Colombia ( http://www.fundacionrenacer.org/ ), Argentina ( http://www.chicos.net/asociacion / ), Uruguay ( http://www.gurisesunidos.org.uy/ ), Chile ( http://www.paicabi.cl/ ), Paraguay ( http://www.globalinfancia.org.py/ ), Peru ( http://www.ecpat.net/EI/index.asp ) and Venezuela (http : / / www.grupomanos.es.tl/ ).
To contribute to this cause, was established February 10 as the Day secure global Internet . For 2009 the theme chosen was cyberbullying, a form of violence suffered by children and adolescents consisting of harassment and intimidation over the Internet, cell phones and video games. Since then, 56 organizations in the world carry out activities to raise public awareness on the responsible use of ICT . Urge
then develop in Latin America and the Caribbean laws, policies and initiatives that aim to combat this crime integrationist vision of the subject, enhancing the implementation of corrective and preventive tools in the region through organizations such as Mercosur, ALBA, the Rio Group and Unasur, among others, which involved the public and private sector in the interests of Internet safe and healthy for our children and adolescents.
Finally, the fight against CSEC should involve first to family. Similarly, school and media are called to help in this fight, because Internet " is a valuable tool that provides great benefits and opportunities but, however, holds great danger for children, it is a place where all doors are open ", as White points out Fernandez in the website of the Association of Internet Users in Spain ( http://www.internautas.org/html/5381.html ) portal supporting this campaign in the Hispanic world.
* For Morelis Gonzalo - Venezuelan economist and journalist, teacher and researcher at the Faculty of Arts at the University of Zulia.
